Griffins announce home opener, five other dates for 2018-19 season

The Grand Rapids Griffins will open the home portion of their 2018-19 season on Friday, Oct. 12, one of six home dates confirmed by the American Hockey League.

The Griffins on Thursday announced inaugural meetings for next season with the Ontario Reign and Belleville Senators, as well as continuing contests against the Eastern Conference's Hershey Bears, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Cleveland Monsters.

The Griffins' 22nd annual New Year's Eve Celebration will be on Monday, Dec. 31. Other home dates are Saturday, Jan. 19 (which will serve as a lead-in to the 2019 Great Skate Winterfest); Saturday, Feb. 9; Saturday, Jan. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 16.

Opponents for the six games will be announced this summer when the complete schedule for the AHL's 83rd season is released.

The 2018-19 campaign will mark the Griffins' 18th year of AHL membership and 23rd season overall.

What is known about opponents on the schedule so far:

* The Griffins and the Pacific Division's Reign will match up in a home-and-home set in the two teams' first-ever meetings.

* The Griffins and Belleville will face off four times, twice in West Michigan and twice in Canada, for their initial games. A member of the North Division, Belleville joined the AHL in 2017-18 and is affiliated with the Ottawa Senators.

* For the second consecutive season, the Griffins will contest home-and-home sets against Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, both of the Atlantic Division.

* Cleveland, who Grand Rapids has met 92 times in the regular season since 2007-08, will remain on the Griffins' schedule and the two teams will play four times.

* Grand Rapids will face off against divisional opponents 58 times, including 10 games apiece against Rockford and Milwaukee, eight games each versus Chicago, Manitoba, San Antonio and Texas, and six games against Iowa.

* The Griffins will play teams from the Pacific Division six times, with a pair against Ontario and four versus San Jose.

As part of the AHL's division realignment for next season, San Antonio and Texas will join the Central Division as Cleveland moves to the North. Colorado enters the AHL as its 31st active team and will compete in the Pacific Division.